On Saturday, the Cranston Athletic Hall of Fame inducted nine members and two teams during its 2024 ceremony at the Cranston Country Club.

City Councilwoman Nicole Renzulli was among the honorees, receiving recognition for her accomplishments in cross country and track. At Cranston West, Renzulli earned All-City, All-Division and All-State titles, captaining the cross country and track team.

“Being inducted into the Cranston Athletic Hall of Fame was incredibly humbling and overwhelming,” Renzulli said after the ceremony. “It was a moment of profound gratitude, not just for the recognition, but for the incredible support system within Cranston athletics. This honor signifies the culmination of years of dedication, hard work, and the unwavering belief and support of my family, coaches, and community.”

After running Division 1 cross country and track at Florida State University, Renzulli pursued her passion for public service as a running coach at Cranston schools and an active member of City Council. She recently announced she’s not running for re-election. She did, however, attend the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

“It was a wonderful experience,” Renzulli said. “It was an honor to be introduced by my coaching colleague, Frank Notarianni and as I stood before my family, friends, and the community, I felt a deep sense of pride and fulfillment. It was a moment of reflection and joy, sharing stories and memories with and about those who have been pivotal in my athletic and personal growth. It was truly magical to look out into a crowd that included my smiling children, my father, my childhood friends, the Mayor, and many of my elected colleagues, as I received this honor.”

Brothers Anthony, Joseph, Peter and Vincent DiBiase were also inducted into the Hall of Fame for their achievements in baseball and community service, with Joseph and Peter DiBiase receiving the honor posthumously. All four brothers shone at Cranston High before going on to volunteer as coaches for the Auburn Post #20 American Legion baseball team in Cranston.

Joseph, Peter and Vincent DiBiase all pursued professional minor-league baseball careers with the New York Yankees, the Cleveland Guardians and the Baltimore Orioles respectively. In addition to their volunteer coaching work, the DiBiases served their community as members of the military and law enforcement.

Other honorees included James Castergine, a Cranston West alum who set 10 enduring boys hockey records in the 1970s, and Thomas Pilderian, who played football and baseball for Cranston East. Pilderian helped his team to an upset victory over Rogers in 1987 and made all-state honors.

And 14-time Save the Bay swimmer Bob Nelson dominated New England competitive swimming in the 1960s at Cranston East before graduating from the Naval Academy and working in nuclear engineering and medicine. In the years since, Nelson has achieved national recognition in open-water swimming multiple times. On Saturday, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside fellow Masters swimmer and Cranston West alum Ray Palmer, who received multiple state and national titles throughout his high school and collegiate career.

In addition to individual inductees, two Cranston high school teams received recognition at the ceremony: Cranston West’s 1973-1974 men's hockey team and Cranston East’s 1979 men’s baseball team.

Renzulli found inspiration throughout the evening’s presentations. She hoped to pass on her appreciation of sport and competition to the next crop of Cranstonian athletes.

“Athletics have been a cornerstone of my life, teaching me resilience, determination, and the importance of a good support system,” Renzulli said. “From my early days of running with my Dad to running at CLCF and Western Hills, becoming All-State at Cranston West, and finally competing at Florida State University, every step was a lesson in pushing beyond limits and believing in oneself. These experiences have shaped my approach to coaching, parenting, and my role as a City Councilwoman. Athletics instilled in me the values of hard work, leadership, and the drive to uplift others, which I now strive to pass on to the next generation of athletes and leaders in Cranston.”

Editor’s Note: Anisha Kumar is a Beacon Media editorial intern this summer.